05/07/2020, Thursday

Excellent metaphor!

Greetings from the redwoods

Ok, one redwood in our back yard and not a particularly attractive one. But some parks and trails are available and I should get on to some. Its still not decided if the national parks will be open. Our studio director usually works part time at a forest service camp but nothing is yet decided.

DianeM, love your garden tools. I so want that scraper. We have a flagstone/gravel patio that is so covered with weeds you can't see it. That tool would scrape it off. I used to go outside and do that but not lately.

Liz I would so do the beach as much as possible if I were you. Get in all the sun and sand you can.

DD sorry you can't make your Florida trip as planned. Ditto Ann's cruises. I can't see getting on an airplane for at least 6 months .

Our little deck garden is looking nice. Small pleasures matter a lot these days. And the big climbing rose is really coming on. Needs some pruning but so does everything in the yard. I might see if I can get a couple of cherry tomato plants. Its always been said its too cold to grow tomatoes here but with global warming and our sunny back deck I think it could happen. I used to put them under the glass patio table for a fake green house.

I got out and about and picked up gallery mail and stopped in to look for bills to pay. The town plaza looks so empty. One side had not a single car and wondered if it was blocked off for some reason. Saw some emptied out stores and others with permanent closure signs. The virus is taking a brutal toll on the town square vendors. People are doing various things that are not strictly within the guides. The herb store has remained open. Tomorrow some stores can open but they have to have curb side service. Can you imagine going to a bookstore but not being able to browse? I saw someone waiting outside an art supply store to buy something. How can you get art supplies without comparison and inspection?

Today I will make another run to a bank just to get out of the house. Gallery checks to deposit. Maybe a stop at the little grocery. Steak and mushrooms sounds good. Asparagus - ham roll ups?

Not much going on here. Glad to have a safe place and food to eat. Cheers. Diane S

"Small pleasures matter a lot these days." You are so right Diane.

What DD said!

And I love your greenhouse hack by putting your plants under the glass patio table. Very funny. And smart. Like you. :)

Good Morning All, I would like to start by saying I have missed each and everyone of you very much. Have tried to pop by and read posts when I could but haven't been up to posting. Didn't want to be negative Nellie when everyone has so much to cope with already.

As you can gather things over here haven't been wonderful - I feel so guilty saying that when I watch the news and see figures coming in from the US and rest of the world. It truely breaks my heart to see such pain and loss. As you know my Mum moved in at the end of March, around the time DH moved to work from home full time. Our city house is tiny at best so it was always going to be a challenge. DH hasnt adjusted to working from home very well, it has ramped up his PTSD and the outcome has meant I have been literally walking on eggshells and incrediably miserable waiting for the next outburst.I could do nothing right. My mum is also frustrated at being cooped up in a stressful house and you guessed it - I am the outlet there too. I have been taking her out once a week for a drive in the car so she has a change of scenery. Have given her a pedicure & pop out to get treats that I know she likes. It all just got too much for me as I try to work full time,heal from my surgery plus cook and clean. I ended up very depressed and pretty miserable while trying to keep going n care for them both. Things came to a head with me literally breaking down in rivers of tears (something I do not do) last weekend at the farm. It was awful but the good thing was that DH finally listened and saw what all of this was doing to me. I had nothing left to give. It was a rocky bottom but Im climbing back up slowly.

My weight - will/is up but I will look at that tommorrow. I am a stress eater and true to form have been doing exactly that

On a more positive note, we look like we will commence the next stage of our new normal from Monday - unfortunately not in time for Mothers Day on Sunday but its a start. Waiting on announcements as to what the three stage plan will be. Miss our kids and grandkids so much. Just want to have them all over to share a meal and cuddle them.

DH leaves to drive to Queensland (2 day drive) at the end of the month for work. The team is driving to avoid flights and the need to be in quarantine for 14 days once they arrive. They have clearance as essential services to work on the project. There are still very strict border restrictions - though I expect some will be relaxed from this coming Monday. He will be gone around 5 weeks. I will be busy looking after both our city and farm houses. I will need to enlist some help from my nephew at the farm as I am still limited in what I can do with my new knee.

Lastly but certainly not least, A huge thank you to Diane O - we received our beautiful masks yesterday. A wonderful surprise and I cried happy tears. Being over here I hadn't expected them - its such a long way and expense. You are a beautiful person and I am truely thankful xxx So much though into the fabrics you chose as well. Will wear them with pride xxxx

Well I had better go and get started with work. Things have now slowed right down and we are looking at commencing the Job Keeper payments (Government assistance) to keep our work going. With over half our workforce either on benefit/subs or out of work benefits - the government has tabled they will struggle to sustain these outlays much past September - so there is much consideration as to how and when to safely restart our economy. As with us all, many businesses have folded, massive job losses and much change. Its hard to know what our new kind of normal will be once this is over. I know for one thing, my outlook has definately changed. The material things have become even less important and the gift of spending time and sharing as a family is top of my list. Its a gift and I think you only start to truely appreciate that when its taken away from you.......

Much love to you all

S

Sorry to hear you've had such a terribly stressful time. Glad you're back with the tribe. You are not alone.

Thanks xx It hasnt been the best but Im coming out the other side now. Thankful to be back with my second family - love this tribe

Shirl, I can certainly relate to what you've been through and continue to experience there. Thank you for your candor and sharing.

I dunno if you noticed, but I was also MIA here for about three weeks. I just couldn't. Seven weeks of quarantining home alone and the social isolation (for a clinical extrovert like me) coupled with my unexpected post-surgery complications and much slower than expected recovery simply did me in. I went to bed for two weeks, comfort ate, binge-watched Netflix and sometimes didn't much care what happened to me.

But I do believe that experiences like yours and mine (and of everyone else here, because we're all having our unique challenges) have the potential to teach us important lessons about ourselves and others and life that can benefit us. The lessons will be different for each of us. But the potential for learning is there for us all.

Knowing you, albeit virtually, I do not doubt that you'll move forward with greater understanding than before all this happened.

Love,

Ann

Ann - I did notice you missing and thought of you often as you are a big part of my second family x I am glad to see you back and working through each day. I think it helps to have a place like here to feel we belong and have unconditional support coupled with a wonderful understanding.

Life sure does challenge us sometimes but I too am a great believer in learning each step of the way. Out of hard times - come better times and a new understanding. I think sometimes we just have to step onto that ride, hang on over the bumps to experience the joy at the fini****s not always easy to see as you slip behind corners and go up and down over bumpy tracks but we get there

Much love to you xx

That's an awesome perspective, Shirl! Thank you.